Complaints of the Living
by miponiski
Summary: A flu virus outbreak occurs in Ponyville. Princess Celestia orders the Royal Guard take control of the town and place Ponyville under quarantine. Princess Twilight must retain order amongst the people as she tries to find a cure, while the cutie mark crusaders do some investigative work of their own.


A fine spring morning like many others, and the sun only just stepping off the horizon makes Ponyville into a simple, yet active town. Twilight Sparkle, the princess alicorn, enjoyed every moment she could spend with her friends and step away from politics. She flew down to pay one of her good friends a visit; the one friend she knew for sure would be up at such an early hour.

Apple Jack is working frantically as Twilight approaches her. Apple Jack pays no attention to the oncoming unicorn and focuses on bucking trees to harvest their apples.

"You okay Apple Jack?" asks Twilight with concern.

Apple Jack nods, "I'm fine, just busy. I got a lot of work to do so I don't have much time to chat."

Twilight furrows her brow. "Are you doing this by yourself?"

Apple Jack takes a deep breath and sighs, "Yeah," she continued, "Apple Bloom got ill and it looks like she gave it to Big Mac too. So now, I'm by myself. The harvesting season only just begun so this is our busiest time."

"How about I help you?" asked Twilight.

Apple Jack is quick to refuse. "Nah', I can't make such an imposition, but if you excuse me I got some work to do. If I don't get this done Ponyville will be all outta apples!"

Apple Jack turned her back on Twilight to continue bucking trees. Twilight insistently trotted to keep up with her. "All the more reason for me to help," said Twilight. "It's no imposition," she added.

Before Apple Jack could answer two fillies zoomed up ecstatically from behind catching both Apple Jack and Twilight off guard. One orange and one white filly gleefully approached Apple Jack and interrupted the conversation she was having with Twilight.

Scootaloo, the orangely young pegasus, spoke out with enthusiasm "Can Apple Bloom come out to play?!"

Apple Jack, startled at first, shook her head to reorient herself before answering, "I'm afraid she can't today. She's very sick."

Scootaloo begged, "Please! It's very important that we see her!"

The white unicorn filly, Sweetie Bell, added, "Maybe we can help her feel better!"

Twilight also chimed in. "Actually, I read a book that said being around friends can aid in a quicker recovery."

Apple Jack replies to the ponies bitterly, "Ordinarily I'd allow it, but Apple Bloom already got Big Mac sick so she's probably still contagious right now. I'll never hear the end of it if I allowed for two little fillies to get sick." Apple Jack paused for a moment, "Especially from your sister Sweetie Bell."

Twilight responded cheerfully, "Actually, I know just the spell!" With a furrow of her brow her horn glowed bright and a transparent, purple, spherical force-field appeared around each of the fillies heads as well as her own. "Ta da!" exclaimed Twilight, "No germs come in or out."

With no more reason to refuse Apple Jack permitted Twilight to take the fillies to see their sick friend. Apple Bloom looked pale and was shivering under the comforter in her bed. Twilight was shocked to see her in such a sick state. However, Scootaloo and Sweetie Bell, seemed more blissful to Apple Bloom's dreadful appearance. Twilight stood behind Sweetie Bell and Scootaloo so they could talk to Apple Bloom.

Between coughs, Apple Bloom greeted her friends. "Hey girls!" she said.

"How are you doing?" asked Sweetie Bell.

Apple Bloom replied, "I've been better. Granny Smith has been taking pretty good care of me."

Scootaloo interjected, "We need to have a Cutie Mark Crusader's club meeting! We have urgent matters to discuss. Sweetie Bell got some old fabrics her sister was getting rid of and we were going to redecorate the club house."

Apple Bloom coughed, "Well that's amazin', but I don't think I can go to the club house today."

Sweetie Bell replied, "That's all right, we can always decide on something later."

 _Ahchoo!_ Apple Bloom let out a big sneeze. Twilight stood back smiling at the young fillies innocence until she noticed something was wrong. In the corner of her eye she caught a glimpse of a small hole in the magic force-field cast around Scootaloo, and the hole was gradually getting bigger.

Twilight's heart rate spiked. She snatched Scootaloo and Sweetie Bell by their tails using her teeth and grunted out, "Sorry Apple Bloom we got to go!" while she dragged the two fillies out of the house.

Once the door closed behind them Twilight asked with panic in her tone, "Scootaloo are you okay?! How do you feel?"

Scootaloo, unsure of why Twilight is freaking out and feeling only confusion, answered, "I'm fine. What's going on?"

Twilight replied frantically, "When she sneezed somehow it ate through your magic force-field. I had to pull you out because you were unprotected."

Scootaloo became annoyed by Twilight's worry. "Well I feel fine," she said.

Twilight muttered, "If you did catch anything you won't experience any symptoms for a couple days. I can't believe I got you exposed!"

Sweetie Bell asked nervously, "Is Scootaloo going to get sick too?"

Twilight turned to Sweetie Bell, and shook her head with a fake smile. "I'm sure everypony is going to be fine," Twilight said, "But I have to take Scootaloo to the doctor just to be sure. Can you go back to Rarity by yourself?"

Sweetie Bell nodded. Twilight and Scootaloo rushed to the Doctor's office leaving Sweetie Bell to walk home to her sister's house by herself. The office was small and was packed with more sick ponies than the room can comfortably hold. Twilight's horn glowed brighter causing her to break out in a sweat, as the force-field around Scootaloo's head was magically repaired. "Stay close to me," Twilight orders Scootaloo. Twilight never seen the office so busy before, and she knew something dire was taking place.

Twilight stopped a pony wearing a doctor's lab coat and asked the doctor, "Execuse me, what's going on?"

The doctor replied, "There's been a nasty flu virus spreading around town for over a week and we have more sick ponies than we can deal with right now."

Twilight added, "This filly—Scootaloo—was just sneezed on by a sick filly, and I need to make sure she's okay."

The doctor spent no more than a couple seconds looking Scootaloo over. "She appears fine," he said, "I can't determine anything right now. Wait a couple days and if she shows any symptoms bring her back. Now, if you can excuse me I have ponies that are actually sick that I don't want to keep waiting."

Twilight let the Doctor get back to work, and left the office with Scootaloo. Scootaloo felt like Twilight over dramatized the whole experience. "Can I go home now?" asks Scootaloo. "I feel fine," she added.

Twilight knelt down to Scootaloo's height feeling less worried than before. "Okay," she said, "But promise me if you ever feel sick or off—even just a little bit—let me know right away. Okay?"

Scootaloo nodded her head in agreement and Twilight hesitantly let the little filly run along back home.

Twilights attention drawn to the sky. In the distance a convoy of pegasus ponies flew down toward Ponyville. Princess Twilight, Knowing that Celestia would have advised her before any royal events were scheduled she flew toward the guards to meet with them on the edge of Ponyville.

Twilight blocked the convoy's path, bringing it to a halt. "What are you doing here?" she demanded to know.

Each royal guard wore gold plated armor, and each wore a gas mask over their face. A royal guard commander stepped forward. "Princess Twilight Sparkle, there have been reports of an outbreak in Ponyville. We have been ordered to place the entire town under quarantine."

"You can't do that!" replied Twilight. "Surely there's another way."

The commander replied, "Sorry Princess, but we are following orders by Princess Celestia. She decreed Ponyville to be placed under quarantine until the threat is taken care of."

"Then I need to speak to Celestia," said Twilight

The commander responded, "I'm afraid we can't let you do that. No pony is allowed in or out of Ponyville, which includes you. However, she did ask I give you this..." The commander handed out a scroll stamped with Princess Celestia's seal. Twilight read the letter:

 _Dear Princess Twilight,_

 _I regret to inform that I'm placing Ponyville under quarantine due to the escalating epidemic in order to ensure that the virus does not spread to the rest of Equestria. I apologize for being so impersonal by not notifying you face-to-face, but my responsibilities to Equestria must come first, and to risk getting sick will be negligible toward my royal duties._

 _To ensure you can remain healthy enough to fulfill your duties as Princess of Ponyville, I have assigned some royal guards to protect you from exposures. I made_ _it clear to all royal guards that were sent to Ponyville to respect you as a Princess and follow your orders with the exception that they must not let you get exposed, and must maintain the quarantine at all cost._

 _I am confident in your abilities, and I know Ponyville is in good hooves. If there is any way I can make this situation any easier on you, please let me know. Luna and myself are working hard to assist with the situation._

 _-Celestia_

The guards surrounded the town of Ponyville, blockading the roads, and the skies. The Ponyville citizens were directed to the town hall where the crowd gathered before the royal guard commander as he delivered a speech:

All citizens of Ponyville. Your town has been ordered to be placed under quarantine to ensure the epidemic does not spread to other towns. We are working on finding vaccines and the quarantine will be lifted once no more threats remain. For the time being, there will be some new rules that will be in place effective immediately to ensure every ponie's safety.

First, no pony is allowed to leave Ponyville, no ponies outside Ponyville will be allowed to enter. Everyday at sunrise everypony will report here for role call to ensure every pony is accounted for. Second, Sick ponies will be taken to the medical tents that will be set up on the west end of town. Healthy citizens must stay clear of the medical center at all times for their own well being. Thirdly, if you see a sick pony, or a pony showing any symptoms you are expected to report your observation to the nearest royal guard as soon as possible to ensure sick ponies get prompt medical care, and healthy ponies stay healthy.

The Royal Guard is here to ensure your safety. Please obey all instructions given by the Royal Guard.

 ** _Author's Note_**

 ** _This is actually an incredibly rough draft, so please don't be put off, but at the same time, don't hesitate to post a comment if you are. Expect changes, especially to the opening (I know it doesn't work, now I just need to know what will). I'm also going to work on the transitions, but I also want to keep the word count down. Ordinarily I wouldn't have posted this had I not promised on my profile to have something uploaded today (even though I know no one ever reads my profile). In the end I just wasn't prepared to meet the deadline, but at least you can get a taste of one of the things I've been working on. I'm totally open to constructive criticism so let me have it. Honestly I'm not too sensitive so if you just want to flat out insult me go for it! (Sometimes I get a laugh out of it, but I do prefer excessively hateful comments to be done through a PM)_**


End file.
